Electric insulator



(No'ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B JENNINGS ELECTRIC INSULATOR.

No. 452,523. Patented May. 19, 1891.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2. B. JENNINGS.

ELECTRIC INSULATOR.

No. 452,523. 4 Patented May 19, 1891.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BYRON JENNINGS, OF SAN JOSE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES BRUSIE,

' OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC INSULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,523, dated May 19, 1891. Application filed September 12, 1890. Serial No. 364,794;- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: the upper part of the car A, and the lower Be it known that I, BYRON JENNINGS,'a citipart of the ear is formed so as to stand apzen of the United States, residing at San Jos, proximately in a straight line with the parts Santa Clara county, State of California, have of the wire which are upon each end of the 5 5 5 lnvented an Improvement in Insulators for ear, and it is also rounded, so as to have about Electric Railways; and I hereby declare the the same diameter and shape as the wire, as

- following to be a full, clear, and exact deshown at a. This lower edge of the clamp scription of the same. being nearly or quite in a straight line with My invention relates to a novel insulating parts of the wire which approach the ear on 60 device for the conducting-wires of an electric each end, it will be manifest that the trolleylway. wheel will travel over the lower part of the It consists in certain details of construcsuspended ear as if it were a portion of the tion, which will be more fully explained by wire, and the ear thus formed gives a smooth reference to the accompanying drawings, in and continuous track for the travel of the 65 Which trolley. This construction is preferable to Figure 1 is a side View of the insulators as the method of securing the wire along the used on a straight line of track. Fig. 2 shows lower edge of the suspending-ear, from which the device with a portion of the insulator left it is liable to be detached by its own weight out. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one part or by vibration.

of the insulator. Fig. 4 is a vertical section In Fig. 1 I have shown the ear suspended taken through the plane of the axis of the by means of an intermediate insulator, which suspending-wire. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail is in turn suspended from the insulator Views of parts of the insulator. Fig. 7 is a through which the transverse supportingview of one form of the ear or bail with clamp wires pass. When the intermediate insu- 75 and insulator. Fig. 8 shows the two parts of lator is used, it will be upon straight portions the ear separated from each other. of the track,where it is necessary to allow the In the present case I have shown my device conducting-wire to swing from side to side in as adapted to that class of electric railroads unison with the movement of the car or the in which the conducting-wire is suspended trolley-wheel, which is supported from the 8* directly over the line of travel of the electric car; but in passing curves where there is litcar by means of transverse wires extending tle or no side motion it will not be necessary across the roadway at intervals from supto use this intermediate insulator, but only porting-posts at each side of the roadway. the insulator 0, through which the transverse At the points where these transverse wires wire D passes. This insulator is shown in 85 3 5 suspend the longitudinal conducting-wire it Figs. 1, 3,4, 5, and 7. It consists of a central is necessary to have as perfectan insulation band of insulating material having the two as possible to prevent the leakage or loss of end pieces 0, adapted to slip into the hole the electric current, and at the same time to through the band and abut up closely against so support the longitudinal wire that it will each side of it, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. 90

present a smooth surface for the travel of the A tube or sleeve of metal E passes through trolley-wheel through which the electric curthe parts 0 and O, and by means of a suitrent is transmitted to the motor on the car. able tool the ends are turned over outwardly,

In order to do this I have shown a supporting so as to clamp the parts together. This tube ear or bail, which in the present case is made is of sufficient diameter to allow the trans- 5 5 in two parts A and has .a groove or channel verse wire D to pass through it, and the ear passing through the upper portion, through A may either be supported directlyfrom the which the main longitudinal conducting-wire insulator C C, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, or B passes, this wire being clamped in place by by means of an intermediate insulator to be bolts or screws which hold the two parts of hereinafter described. too

the. ear together. F is a convex cover or roofing fixed above The wireBforms a small convex are through the top of the insulator and extending out on each side, so as to prevent the rain from l'alling upon it and destroying its insulation.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and i I have shown the insulator C as surrounded by a band G, having the suspending-lugs II projecting from the lower side and adapted. to clasp a corresponding lug I upon the car A, holes being made through the parts II and I for the reception of a pin or bolt by which they are retained together. Upon the upper part of the band G is a suitable lug or projection to which the cap F may be secured by a screw or bolt.

In Figs. 7 and S I have shown an ear made in two parts secured together, as in Figs. 1 and 2, but having the projection I made in the form of a ring having the interior of sufficient diameter to surround and clasp the insulator C, which is formed, as shown in Fig. 5, with a groove or channel around its periphery, which is clasped by the ring or lug I. This ring is made, as shown in Fig. 8, one-half upon each part of the clamp A, and the two halves are made to fit together and inclose the insulator, and may be secured by screws passing transversely through them, as shown at J.

K is the intermediate suspending insulator, which is used upon straight portions of the line. It is made in two halves, as shown in Fig. (3, having holes extending in from the top and bottom. It is preferably made conical, and in the enlarged openings at the ends of the holes within the insulator are placed the nuts L, which remain stationary in these holes, being separated by a considerable thickness of insulating material.

M M are screw-eyes which pass into the holes at the top and bottom of the insulator and screw into the nuts L. The insulator may be made of any suitable insulating material; but I have found that wood boiled in paraffiue makes a very good insulator. The halves are then puttogether with the nuts L in place and are fitted into an exterior cone N, which maybe made of zinc or other metal, and the lower edges of this cone are turned under, as shown at 0, so as to hold the insulator K firmly in its place.

Around the lower screw )1 and fitting up against the bottom of the cone N is a disk I, made of insulating material and extending sufiiciently beyond the bottom edges of the cone N, so that if by reason of violent movement the insulator is caused to swing from side to side suliicieutly to touch the earA this insulating-disk will be interposed between the metal cone N and the car A, and will thus prevent any loss of the electric current in this manner. 3y this means I provide a strong and serviceable insulator, which is made of comparatively cheap material, since by being compressed within the metallic cone N it is made exceedingly strong, and by having the nuts L secured witlnn 1t [or the connection of the suspending screwcyes M M there is no danger of the screweyes pulling out, as is the case when they are simply screwed into the wooden insulators.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an insulating and suspendingdevlce for the conducting-wires of electric railway the two-part car or bail channeled to receive and clamp the wire and havi g a ring formed in two parts, one of which is attached to each part of the clamp, said ring inclosing the nsulator through which the sus1 )ending-w1re passes, substantially as herein described.

2. A non-conductor consisting of the central annular disk, the end pieces fitted thereto, and a tubular rivet extending through said parts, having the ends turned down or secured upon the outer ends of the clamps, and the central hole through said rivet through which the supporting-wire passes, substantially as herein described.

The insulator consisting of the annular disk havingthe hole through which the transverse suspending-wire passes and eyes orloops depending therefrom, in combination with the ear and the intermediate insulator suspended from said disk and having a hook or connection whereby the ear of the conducting-wire maybe suspended therefrom, substantially as herein described.

4. The insulator consisting of the semieones K, having the chambers formed therein, the screw-eyes M and M, the nuts L, and holes extending from said nuts to each end for the reception of the screw-eyes M and M, together with the exterior conical metallic casing fitted to the insulator and secured thereto, substantially as herein described.

5. The conical two-part insulator, with its inclosing metallic case, the nuts, and screweyes whereby it is suspended, in combination with the insulating disk I, made of larger diameter than the bottom of the cone and secured thereto, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof: I have hereunto set my hand.

BYRON JENNINGS.

Witnesses:

S. H. Nounsn, II. C. Lee. 

